Ollie is a two year old male cat that was seen for a history sneezing and constant nasal infections. Everytime he would eat, drink, or groom himself (which other than sleeping is the daily routine of a cat), he would start violently sneezing. After close examination, it was discovered that Ollie had a cleft palate. Cleft palate is a condition in both humans and animals where the two plates of the skull that make up the hard palate, otherewise known as the roof of the mouth, are not completely joined. Ollie had a hole the size of a piece of rice right in the center of his palate. This hole connected his oral cavity directly to his nasal cavity resulting in a sneezing frenzy anytime he used his mouth.

After consultation, Ollie was taken to surgery. Two incisions were made on the edges of the hard palate. These incisions provided tension release so the cleft opening could be easily closed. Surgery went very well, however, post operative healing will be the hardest part. As we all know, you can't tell a cat to leave his/her incision alone, and there are no veterinary magic tricks to keep them away. So hopefully with close monitering, a special diet, and a lot of patience, Ollie's repair can heal and keep him sneeze free.